Devin Caruso still remembers the atmosphere at Morris Hills High School for the annual football game against sister school Morris Knolls when he was a sophomore. Going out on the field was "terrifying," rendering him, in Scarlet Knights coach Mike Sabo's words, like "a little puppy."

Obviously, this is no ordinary football game. It's an intra-district rivalry, pitting childhood friends and neighbors against each other.

Though Morris Hills won NJSIAA North 2 Group III last fall, something was left unfinished. Morris Knolls won last year, and has taken three of the last four games.

Though it seems like this rivalry has existed as long as there were two schools in the district, it actually was renewed with the launch of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference in 2009. The teams are even at four victories apiece, with Morris Hills hosting Friday night.

The Golden Eagles have a sign in their locker room, "Better dead than red." The Scarlet Knights, who use a "big brother, little brother mentality" – and feel like the little brother after last year's loss – post their winning scores in the weight room.

"This week is nothing to play around with," Morris Knolls senior wide receiver-cornerback Joe Taylor said. "This week means a lot more than any other week. … It's just as big as a state championship, because this is bragging rights for the rest of the year.

"We're all friends, and most of us grew up together, but we split up for high school. It adds to the intensity of the game. You were all friends once, but when this week comes along, everyone turns against each other."

Even Bill Regan, in his 43rd year at the helm at Morris Knolls, embraces the boisterous stadium packed with between 4,000 and 5,000 fans "all dressed up with face paint, all kinds of signs and beads.

"If you live in Rockaway, Wharton or Denville, you're excited about being there. I'll tell you that," said Regan, who had just wrapped up a staff meeting at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"It's Mardi Gras, New Year's Eve and a football game all rolled into one. … It's like Christmas morning. There's a lot of energy, a lot of excitement, a lot of fun. It's not a test we didn't study for. Both teams studied for this test."

Caruso, now a senior tight end-linebacker, has been trying to keep the Scarlet Knights calm and focused. Only four two-way starters – Caruso, senior running back-cornerback Rey Almodovar, and junior running backs Sam Valerio and Angelo Macera – return from the sectional championship team, and very few have experienced the Hills-Knolls rivalry on the field. With three-year starting quarterback Nick Vittorio graduated, the Golden Eagles are still looking for a consistent replacement. Senior running backs Nate Howell and Derek Ferguson are leading the offense, with junior Chris Marra as a "change of pace guy, more of a hammer" for Regan.

Morris Hills comes in off a 31-7 victory against Mendham. Morris Knolls fell to Mount Olive in the season opener. Both Regan and Sabo emphasized the importance of containing emotions, channeling the exuberance into a strong performance.

"You've got everybody watching you," Caruso said. "It's an a amazing moment. You've just got to be focused, and know what you've got to do. I tell them, 'Don't look at the crowd. Don't listen to anybody. Just listen to the coaches. Do your job.' That's the main goal, just do your job."